Aurelian; or, Rome in the Third Century
to bind him to it, it was plain, by what at that distance we could
observe, that Probus was entreating him to desist and leave him at
liberty; in which he at length succeeded, for that person returned,
leaving him alone and unbound. O sight of misery!--he who for the
humblest there present would have performed any office of love, by which
the least good should redound to them, left alone and defenceless, they
looking on and scarcely pitying his cruel fate!
When now he had stood there not many minutes, one of the doors of the
vivaria was suddenly thrown back, and bounding forth with a roar, that
seemed to shake the walls of the theatre, a lion of huge dimensions
leaped upon the arena. Majesty and power were inscribed upon his lordly
limbs; and as he stood there where he had first sprung, and looked round
upon the multitude, how did his gentle eye and noble carriage, with
which no one for a moment could associate meanness, or cruelty, or
revenge, cast shame upon the human monsters assembled to behold a
solitary, unarmed man torn limb from limb! When he had in this way
looked upon that cloud of faces, he then turned and moved round the
arena through its whole circumference, still looking upwards upon those
who filled the seats--not till he had come again to the point from which
he started, so much as noticing him who stood, his victim, in the
midst. Then--as if apparently for the first time becoming conscious of
his presence--he caught the form of Probus; and moving slowly towards
him, looked steadfastly up-upon him, receiving in return the settled
gaze of the Christian. Standing there, still, awhile--each looking upon
the other--he then walked round him, then approached nearer, making,
suddenly and for a moment, those motions which indicate the roused
appetite; but as it were in the spirit of self-rebuke, he immediately
retreated a few paces and lay down in the sand, stretching out his head
toward Probus, and closing his eyes as if for sleep.
The people, who had watched in silence, and with the interest of those
who wait for their entertainment, were both amazed and vexed, at what
now appeared to be the dulness and stupidity of the beast. When however
he moved not from his place, but seemed as if he were indeed about to
fall into a quiet sleep, those who occupied the lower seats began both
to cry out to him and shake at him their caps, and toss about their arms
in the hope to rouse him. But it was all in vain; and at the command of
the Emperor he was driven back to his den.
Again a door of the vivaria was thrown open, and another of equal size,
but of a more alert and rapid step, broke forth, and, as if delighted
with his sudden liberty and the ample range, coursed round and round the
arena, wholly regardless both of the people and of Probus, intent only
as it seemed upon his own amusement. And when at length he discovered
Probus standing in his place, it was but to bound toward him as in
frolic, and then wheel away in pursuit of a pleasure he esteemed more
highly than the satisfying of his hunger.
At this, the people were not a little astonished, and many who were near
me hesitated not to say, "that there might be some design of the gods in
this." Others said plainly, but not with raised voices, "An omen! an
omen!" At the same time Isaac turned and looked at me with an expression
of countenance which I could not interpret. Aurelian meanwhile exhibited
many signs of impatience; and when it was evident the animal could not
be wrought up, either by the cries of the people, or of the keepers, to
any act of violence, he too was taken away. But when a third had been
let loose, and with no better effect, nay, with less--for he, when he
had at length approached Probus, fawned upon him, and laid himself at
his feet--the people, superstitious as you know beyond any others, now
cried out aloud, "An omen! an omen!" and made the sign that Probus
should be spared and removed.
Aurelian himself seemed almost of the same mind, and I can hardly doubt
would have ordered him to be released, but that Fronto at that moment
approached him, and by a few of those words, which, coming from him, are
received by Aurelian as messages from Heaven, put within him a new and
different mind; for rising quickly from his seat he ordered the keeper
of the vivaria to be brought before him. When he appeared below upon the
sands, Aurelian cried out to him,
'Why, knave, dost thou weary out our patience thus--letting forth beasts
already over-fed? Do thus again, and thou thyself shall be thrown to
them. Art thou too a Christian?'
'Great Emperor,' replied the keeper, 'than those I have now let loose,
there are not larger nor fiercer in the imperial dens, and since the
sixth hour of yesterday they have tasted nor food nor drink. Why they
have thus put off their nature 'tis hard to guess, unless the general
cry be taken for the truth, "that the gods have touched them."
Aurelian was again seen to waver, when a voice from the benches cried
out,
'It is, O Emperor, but another Christian device! Forget not the voice
from the temple! The Christians, who claim powers over demons, bidding
them go and come at pleasure, may well be thought capable to change, by
the magic imputed to them, the nature of a beast.'
'I doubt not,' said the Emperor, 'but it is so. Slave! throw up now the
doors of all thy vaults, and let us see whether both lions and tigers be
not too much for this new necromancy. If it be the gods who interpose,
they can shut the mouths of thousands as of one.
At those cruel words, the doors of the vivaria were at once flung open,
and an hundred of their fierce tenants, maddened both by hunger and the
goads that had been applied, rushed forth, and in the fury with which in
a single mass they fell upon Probus--then kneeling upon the sands--and
burying him beneath them, no one could behold his fate, nor, when that
dark troop separated and ran howling about the arena in search of other
victims, could the eye discover the least vestige of that holy man.----
I then fled from the theatre as one who flies from that which is worse
than death.
Felix was next offered up, as I have learned, and after him more than
fourscore of the Christians of Rome.
Rome continues the same scene of violence, cruelty and blood. Each
moment are the miserable Christians dragged through the streets either
to the tribunals of the judges, or thence, having received their doom,
to the prisons.
Seeing, Fausta, that the Emperor is resolved that we shall not be among
the sufferers, and that he is also resolved upon the total destruction
of all within the walls of Rome, from which purpose no human power can
now divert him, we feel ourselves no longer bound to this spot, and are
determined to withdraw from it, either to Tibur or else to you. Were
there any office of protection or humanity, which it were in our power
to perform toward the accused or the condemned, you may believe that we
should remain fixed to the post of duty. But the fearful sweep which is
making, and yet to be made, of every living soul in Rome, leaves nothing
for us to do but to stand idle and horror-struck witnesses of sufferings
and wrongs, which we can do nothing to avert or relieve. Portia shares
our sorrows, and earnestly entreats us to depart, consenting herself to
accompany us.
* * * * *
After seeing Zenobia at Tibur, and conversing with her and Livia, whom I
found there, we have resolved upon Palmyra, and already have I engaged a
vessel bound to Berytus. A brief interval will alone be needful for our
preparations. Portia goes with us.
* * * * *
In the midst of these preparations, news is brought us by Milo that
Aurelian, hastened by accounts of disturbances in the army, has suddenly
started for Thrace. But I see not that this can interfere with our
movements, unless indeed.... What can mean this sudden uproar in the
streets?--and now within the house itself.... My fears are true....
* * * * *
Fausta, I am a prisoner in the hands of Fronto. I now write in chains,
and Julia stands at my side bound also. I have obtained with difficulty
this grace, to seal my letter, and bid you farewell.
* * * * *
Thus were Piso and Julia at length in the grasp of the cruel and
relentless Fronto. Aurelian's sudden departure from Rome placed the
whole conduct of the enterprise he had undertaken in the hands of Varus
and the priest, who were left by the Emperor with full powers to carry
on and complete the work which he had begun. It was his purpose however,
so soon as the difficulties in the army should be composed, himself
immediately to return, and remain till the task were ended--the great
duty done. But, as many causes might conspire to prevent this, they were
clothed with sovereign authority to do all that the welfare of the city
and the defence and security of religion might require. I will not
charge Aurelian with an unnecessary absence at this juncture, that so he
might turn over to his tools a work, at which his own humanity and
conscience, hardened as they were, revolted--or rather that they,
voluntarily, and moved only by their own superstitious and malignant
minds might then be free to do what they might feel safe in believing
would be an acceptable service to their great master. I will still
believe, that, had he intended the destruction of Piso and Julia, he
would, with that courage which is natural to him, have fearlessly and
unshrinkingly done the deed himself. I will rather suppose that his
ministers, without warrant from him, and prompted by their own hate
alone, ventured upon that dark attempt, trusting, when it should have
once been accomplished, easily to obtain the pardon of him, who, however
he might affect or feel displeasure for a moment, would secretly applaud
and thank them for the deed.
However this may be, Aurelian suddenly departed from Rome, and Fronto
and Varus filled his place; and their first act of authority was the
seizure of Piso and the Princess. At Tibur we knew nothing of these
events till they were passed; we caring not to hear of the daily horrors
that were acted in the city, and feeling as secure of the safety of Piso
and Julia as of our own.
It was on a gloomy winter evening when they were borne away from their
home upon the Coelian to the dark vaults beneath the Temple of the
Sun, Fronto's own province. But here again let Piso speak for himself,
as I find recorded in the fragment of a letter.
* * * * *
* * * The darkness of the night scarce permitted me to see, he says,
whither we were borne, but when the guard stopped and required us to
alight from the carriage in which we had been placed, I perceived that
we were at the steps of the temple--victims therefore in his own regions
of a man, as much more savage than Aurelian, as he than a beast of the
forest. We were denied the happiness of being confined in the same
place, but were thrust into separate dungeons, divided by walls of solid
rock. Here, when wearied out by watching, I fell asleep. How long this
lasted I cannot tell; I was wakened by the withdrawing of the bolts of
my door. One, bearing a dim light, slowly opening the door, entered.
Forgetting my condition I essayed to rise, but my heavy chains bound me
to the floor. Soon as the noise of my motion caught the ear of the
person who had entered, he said,
'So; all is safe. I am not thy keeper, sir Piso, but 'tis my province to
keep the keeper--that is--visit thee every hour to see that thou art
here. Yet, by the gods! if you Christians have that power of magic,
which is commonly reported of you, I see not of what use it were to